Improvement in cultivators



lUNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES n. LITTLE, oF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CULTIVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 107,069, datedSeptember 6, 1870.V

I, JAMES R. LITTLE, of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State otIllinois, have invented certain Improvements in Cultivators, of whichthe following is a specification:

Nature and Objects of Invention.

The nature of my invention relates to improvements in securing theshovels or spades of cultivators to the shanks; and the inventionconsists in a hollow semicircula-r metallic plate, bolted securely tothe rear side ot thel shovel, a sliding button titting the cavity be,-tween said plate, and the shovel carries a bolt, projec ing through aslot in the plate, by

means of which, with a nut, the shovel may Description of theAccompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a side elevation of a shovel attached to an iron shank by myimproved method. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of a shovel with the plate B of Fig. l attached. Fig. 4is a rear elevation of the plate B detached. Fig. 5 is a side eleva-tionof the plate C of Figs. l and 2 detached. Fig. 6 is a horizontalsectional view of Fig. l on the line w. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionalview of that part of Fig. 1 where the iron shank is pivoted in the plateC.

General Description.

A is an ordinary cultivator shovel or spade. B is a semicircular plate,with lugs b b at each end, through which rivet-bolts b b pass for thepurpose of securing it to the shovel A. The plate B is slotted, as shownat Fig. 4. by B. D is a button or slide, (shown at Fig. 6,) one side ofwhich is curved to correspond with the concave side of the plate B,against which it rests. E is a bolt carried by the button D, andprojecting through the slot B', and, being somewhat smaller than thcslot, allows the bolt to move freely laterally, while it may be adjustedvertically, in the slot. The plate B has a recess, B", into which thebolt E is slid for convenience in inserting the button D. C is a metalsocket, the lower end grooved to iit the face of the plate B, andpierced with a hole,through which thebolt E passes, as shown in Figs. land 2. The rear side of the socket C, above thebolt E,is deeply groovedfor the reception of the standard H, which is pivoted therein at itslower end by the bolt J. L L' are holes in the upper end of the socketC. A wooden pin passed through the hole L will secure the shovel at anangle to the shank. (Shown by Fig. l.) By withdrawing the pin andbringing the upper end of the socket C forward until the hole L isbrought to coincide with the hole L" in the shank H, the position of theshovel A may be brought nearer vertical. Sis a square metal plug, seatedin one of the jaws of the socket C, and pierced with a hole for thereception of the bolt J, in such manner that when the tap j is tightenedup the head of the bolt J, resting on the plug S, alone will draw theplug against the side of the shank H, as shown at Fig. 7, therebyfurnishing a sure and simple means for holding rmly the shank H betweenthe two solid jaws C C;

The operation of my invention is deemed obvious from an inspection ofthe accompanying drawing.

In case a wooden shank is used,it should be cut out at the lower end toadapt it to the face ot' the plate B, and be pierced witha hole for thebolt E, when, being placed in position by means of the nut on the boltE, it may be held securely in place.

Then the nut on bolt E is loosened the bolt and button D may be movedupward or downward in the slot B', for the purpose of adjusting theposition of the shovel A vertically, and the bolt E may be movedlaterally in the slot B', for the purpose of adjusting the angle oi' theshovel A to the line of progression of the cultivator, for the purposeof throwing the dirt to or from the row of plants.

lNhen an iron shank is used, as shown in the drawing, the plate C may beadjusted on the plate B in the same manner and for the same purposeslast described for a wooden shank.

An additional adj ustment is secured between the plate C and the ironshank H. When the pin L is withdrawn, the lower end of the shovel A maybe moved forward or back, Swingin g on the pivot J, and the pin L, bybeing Inserted in the different holes L L', may be made to adjust thevertical angle of the shovel A with the ground.

The pin used in the holes L L', being wood, will break when a solidobstruction is struck by the shovel A, and the shovel then swinging backon the pivot J will save breakage at any other pla-ee.

Claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. The plate B, constructed substantially asdescribed, arranged with the shovels and.v

J AS. R. LITTLE.

Witnesses J. J. TUNNICLIFF, H. B. BERGEN.

